“But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?’ Now, he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it” (John 12:4-6).

You say something positive and someone finds a negative spin to put on it.

You post a praise on Facebook and someone gets angry because you didn’t touch all the bases.

You praise a singer and someone rebukes you for leaving out the pianist.

On this website, I posted an article on pastors keeping themselves pure and protecting themselves from sexual temptation. Several online sermon magazines lifted the piece (we gladly grant them blanket permission to do so) and distributed it widely.  Among the positive and gracious comments were several attacking the writer for a) not covering every detail of the subject, b) implicitly blaming the women for the preachers’ sins, and c) not giving the other side of the issue (there being apparently numerous “other” sides, everything from single women pastors, predatory preachers, restoring fallen pastors, and helping the pastors’ wives deal with competition from women in the church).

There are those among us who, like Judas Iscariot, can always find a dark cloud behind a silver lining.  Mary of Bethany anoints our Lord and worships Him, and Judas criticizes the extravagance.  It was her own perfume, she paid for it herself, the Lord Jesus had no problem receiving her worship, it involves no one else, and yet Judas picks it apart.

His spiritual gift is finding fault.

Judas has descendants in every church I ever pastored, and doubtless all those I never got around to pastoring.  They’re everywhere.

These are the “yes but” people.

–“God is good.” Yes but, look at the tornadoes in Joplin.

–“God is love.” Yes but, why did He allow that child to die?

–“All scripture is inspired of God.” Yes but, some of it is hard to understand.

–“All have sinned and come short.” Yes but, that’s no excuse for our continuing in sin (which is correct, of course).

Their first impulse is to look for negatives to every positive.

Their natural inclination is to find exceptions to every rule.

They manufacture reasons to vote no to every proposal.

They refuse to give the speaker (or preacher, teacher, candidate, whoever) a unanimous, one-hundred percent endorsement.  They excuse their recalcitrance with pious explanations of how it will be good for the leader to know not everyone is buying his line, that there are wise people among us, that people are watching him.

On December 8, 1941, following the Japanese’ bombing of Pearl Harbor, Montana’s congresswoman Jeanette Rankin was the sole member of the U.S. Congress to vote against entering World War 2.  In fact, nearly a quarter of a century earlier, she had been among a larger group that voted against entering the First World War.  On the latter occasion, when her name was called to vote, she announced, “As a woman, I cannot go to war and I refuse to send anyone else.”

She voted nay. (Montanans, you will not be surprised to know, were ready to lynch her. She had to be escorted from the Capitol by police.  In ’42, she wisely chose not to run for reelection.)

As with Judas, yes-but people have secret issues and hidden agendas. 

Judas was a thief.

I imagine Judas’ pilfering proclivities (ahem) were found out sometime after the events of the Gospel story.  Perhaps after his death, someone audited his books.  That would account for that little financial spin he put on Mary’s devotion.

What was it with Jeanette Rankin, I wonder.  History identifies her simply as a pacifist, someone who opposes war without exception.

What is it with our friends on Facebook who persist in putting a negative spin on every positive statement, on criticizing a glowing praise report, on pouring cold water over someone’s enthusiasm?

Answer:

1) There is no telling, and no point in delving into their histories to find out.

2) They will always be among us, pastor.

3) Best to make the most of it.  Expect the naysayers to show up and have their say, and pray they will be outvoted.

4) From the pulpit, teach your people the powerful force of positive affirmation, to look immediately for reasons to give their support to recommendations if possible.

5) Show your people the wide-ranging influence of positive-minded people who bless and give and serve and love without reservation.

6) And one more: teach them to be patient with the ‘yes-but’ people among them, for the Lord uses their negativity also.  Even if they do not mean to assist us, their negative presence causes us to plan in advance how to anticipate objections and to be ready to answer questions.

7) Pray for yourself, that you will set the example in praising well-doing, in honoring the faithful, and in loving the questionable.